Snake and Badger
by therisingharvestmoon
Summary: Florence Lundy is caught out of bed while the Carrows and Severus Snape run Hogwarts. She is surprised by her punishment. SS/OC non-romance.


**Snake and Badger**

The greasy tallow candles burned low in Hogwarts castle, free from any cheer and warmth they had once held. The wide, portrait-covered corridors were possibly the worst place for a student – or teacher, for that matter- to be after the sun had set. Florence Lundy crept along the fifth floor corridor, keeping well away from the stairs and sneaking up on each open classroom door as though the Carrow twins were behind each one. At the present moment, she crouched under a snoring witch asleep at a Poker table with six wizards, waiting to see if the path was all clear. In her hands was a small, brown leather sack which she held quite close. After holding her breath for a full minute, she decided that no one was around, and she had better get a move on before one of the Carrows' little cronies appeared. And although she was sixteen years old, Florence was still rather afraid of what else she might run into in the dark.

She found the only staircase leading from the fifth floor that the Carrows had not enchanted at night, so they and their Slytherin compadres could creep around in the dark, catching people like her out. Hufflepuffs like her were not looked kindly upon, nor were Muggleborns like Florence. She was surprised she hadn't caught and shipped off to the Ministry yet, but she had been put on enough detentions to rival Lovegood and Weasley, with the bruises and cuts to prove it. Taking a deep breath, Florence took the first step down, and –

_WHAAAAAAAAAAAA, WHAAAAAAAAAAAA, WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!_

The alarm sounded before her foot had even touched the stone. She whirled around to see a short lump running toward her. It could be a student, or the man. If they hadn't seen her…

Florence started running down the stairs, but could not see properly in the now-darkened castle. With a _thwump _from the force, she ran into what felt like a boulder, snapping her head back and toppling over backward down the stairs. They must have been as shocked as she, as she had the time to rearrange her limbs and stand gingerly before they – Goyle and Zabini – grabbed her arms and spun her around to face Alecto and Amycus Carrow, looking sinister in the red glow of the security lamps.

'Oh, what's that you got there, love?' Alecto gestured to the leather satchel. 'Midnight snack from the Potions supply cupboard?'

Florence gulped – they'd followed her all the way. If only she'd stayed in the common room behind the kitchens. Now they would punish her! Goyle seemed to have the same idea, as he asked thickly, 'Should we take her to the dungeons?'

Amycus glared at him. 'No, I think this offence requires a little more severity.'

'Professor Slughorn?'

'We're taking her to the Headmaster, you idiot!' Alecto snapped.

The ugly twins both stared at her with the same hunger, but, Florence guessed, for different reasons.

'Yes! We'll see what Severus has to say about your night time wandering, thievery and insubordination.'

Though she'd done nothing specific, Florence supposed the last one was a given. She glared at them all and said nothing – Snape was bad, but he didn't give such sadistic punishments personally, so she was maybe looking at scrubbing bedpans at the least. Then again, he was a Death Eater. As they lead her, bruised and scraped, to the Headmaster's office, bile rose in her throat as her apprehension increased. He could kill Dumbledore, what was stopping him from having another Mudblood sent off to the Ministry for processing.

They arrived at the stone gargoyle, and Florence was surprised out of her fearful reverie that they did not speak a password, but tapped their wands against the gargoyle's nose, and after a while, it moved aside to allow them in.

_Maybe Snape doesn't trust then, _she thought, hoping she wouldn't be hurt to badly.

They opened the door and saw Snape standing at his desk with his back to them.

'Professor?' Amycus grunted and shoved Florence forward, gripping her already bruised arm with unnecessary force. 'We caught this stinking Mudblood –'

'Do not use that word, I told you!'

Florence flinched; Snape's voice was unexpectedly loud.

'- Out of bed, sneaking around the Potions supplies. Came out with a handful, it did.' Unfazed by the Headmaster's snap, Amycus grabbed the bag from Florence and thrust it on the ground at Snape. He turned slowly, his fingers steepled before him. He couldn't have looked more like a bat in his black robes and his white face, which Florence noticed was rather drawn and very tired looking.

'I would ask you to please not go flinging around the school's resources, Amycus, stolen or not.' He bent and picked up the leather sack, hissing quietly as he straightened. He appeared to be in pain, but she was not concerned. The others seemed not to notice. Snape looked at Florence with a blank expression for a moment, then noticed the room of the Carrow's helpers.

'I will deal with this on my own.'

His emotionless voice did not make her feel any worse, or any better.

Goyle, Zabini and the others quickly shuffled out the door, while the twins stared at the Headmaster uncertainly. Snape gave them a hard look. 'I will speak with you both later at length, I can assure you. I like to serve my punishments alone… Only child syndrome.' His smile did not reach his eyes. The Carrows appeared gleeful at the mention of Florence's penalty, but slowly backed out the door.

Florence was not sure she liked this more, for all he did was stare at her with his impenetrable gaze for so long she feared she might start to melt, then, he lifted the leather sack her grandfather had given her delicately with long, white fingers.

'What is this, Miss Lundy?'

She swallowed, then answered. 'It used to have marbles in it.'

He frowned slightly. 'I do not wish to know what it _used _to contain, I am asking what it contains now. And why.'

Florence shifted uncomfortably, her apprehension of being caught out as a Muggleborn the overwhelming sensation. She could tell him, but he'd already guess when he looked inside. Gently upending the bag onto the desk, all the ingredients spilled out to make –

'Star Grass Salve? Why, that's part of the sixth year curriculum, why on earth would you need to be making it at two in the morning?' His lip curled in a worrying smile.

She gulped. 'I wasn't – I… There were some first years in the common room, with cuts on their arms and Professor Carrow and Professor Carrow wouldn't let them see Madam Pomfrey.' She kept her eyes fixed to her slippered feet, wondering briefly why Professor Snape wasn't wearing nightclothes at this hour.

'I see.'

She stole a look at his face to find no anger. 'I didn't know what else to do.' She felt tears sting her eyes. 'They're Muggle born, sir, and I thought it they complained… Well, so am I, I just thought I could handle being sent away better.' Now she actually closed her eyes to block out the room and whatever her fate might be. She was startled when a hand touched her arm.

'Miss Lundy.' Snape's expression was unreadable. A fear or guilt swam in his eyes, but he still wore a sardonic smile. 'Star Grass Salve takes one whole week to set after it is brewed. May I suggest,' he gently unfurled her hand with his own and put in a small bottle, 'mixing this Murtlap essence with boiling water? A warm dip in that is the best I can do for the moment. You may think of asking another of your kin to ask me for the salve tomorrow, as I don't think I can cover for you a second night in a row.'

Florence blinked and smiled. 'Tha-'

'Go to bed, now. Your thanks can be finding a way to sneak around more carefully, and never speaking of this again.' The smile was gone now, but a strange sort of warmth now filled his eyes. Maybe he did care, in his own weird way. 'Oh, and ten points from Hufflepuff. You'll be seeing Professor Carrow to scrub the floors tomorrow. Oh yes, and I would advise finding yourself a spare toothbrush. Good night, Miss Lundy.'


End file.
